Mechanism for operating distant circuit-breakers.



0. S. VAN NUIS & J. W. AOHARD.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATlNG DISTANT CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18,1907.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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G. S. VAN NUIS & J. W. ACHARD.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING DISTANT CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

APPLICATION FILED $1113.18, 1907 Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2 1 1 /t" W q C. S. VAN NUIS & J. W. AGHARD.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING DISTANT CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

APPLIGATION FILED PEB.18,1907 1 051 929 Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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G. S. VAN NUIS & J. W. ACHARD. MECHANISM FOR OPERATING DISTANT CIRCUIT BREAKERS. APPLICATION FILED FEB.1E,1907.

1,051,929 Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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WM$WM- OM 0. S. VAN NUIS & J. W. AGHARD. MECHANISM FOR OPERATING DISTANT CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.18,1967.

Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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APPLICATION FILED PEB.18,190"!.

1,051,929. Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

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IIIURIVEX c. s. VAN mus & J. w. AcHARD.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING DISTAN'I' CIRCUIT BREAKERS;

APPLICATION TILED M28218, 1907. I

1,051,929. Patented Feb.4, 1913.

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CberbSVm NuhJJabnWAahm-d ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES s. VAN, NUIS AND Jonn w. ACHARD, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL ANIA.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING DISTANT CIRCUlT-BREAKERS.

Specification of Letters lratent.

Patented Feb. 4,1913. 7

Application filed February 18, 1907. Serial No. 357,820.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, humans b. VAN

Xius and JOHN V. AcnAno, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and Stateof Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certain new and useful Mechanism for Operating Distant Circuit- Breakers, of which tliejfollowing is a specification.

In electrical installations it is often necessary or desirable to locate a circuit breaker at a point distant from a power house or other station where the attendants are assembled. This is especially true in connection with storage batteries which are often located out upon a line and while not requiring a constant attendant, yet involve the use of a circuit breaker.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide for satisfactorily and reliably resetting distan-W circuit breaking mechanism. from a central station, or other place where attendants are required, thus obviating the necessity for the constant presence of an attendantat the distant circuit breaking mechanism and thereby in many cases efi'ectin'g material economies.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which Figures 1. 2, and 3, are respectively a front rear and side elevation partly in section of the mechanism which located at the distant point. Fig. 4, is a View partly in section illustrating a detail, of the mechanism shown in the above inentioned figures. Fig. 'is a diagrammatic view of mechanism embodying features of the invention.

Fi 6, is a transverse sectional View taken.

on about the center line of the right hand part of the device shown in Fig. 1, looking toward the left. Fig. 7, is a similar view of the device shown at the left in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8, is a. central sectional View of a sole-' noid, shown at the right in Fig. 3. Fig. 9, is .a view like Fig. 1, and illustrating a modification, and Fig. 10is a view'illustrating the details of construction of the runtilated gears shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 5, there is arranged at a suitahlestatlon Where attendants are pres- "enly for example, att-he central station or power house, mechanism illustrated at the bottom of the figure and there is arranged the arm 16 and thellevertfl0' for' extension 21.

at'a point distant from the central station or power house, for example, at a substatron where an attendant need not be'presout, the mechanism illustrated at the top cate a signaling apparatus of someki'nd.

At the sub or distant station there jis a storage battery 5, circuit breakersti aii'd'flqo of which one 7, is shown to be ofthei'auto i matic variety and at least one of them or if desired, both of them may be-oPt-hat variety. These circuit breakers 6 and 7, are

provided with auxiliary switches Sand- 9;

There is also av motor- 10, and a switch" 1*},- for making and breaking its circuit to stop and start it. This switch 11, isclosedliy" an electro-magnet 12 Fig. 8 and is released by an automatic locking device 13 operated so through the intervention of parts" fr by the motor 10, The motor 10, also-o crates through the intervention of partsthat will be described to perform cycle which consists in first tripping both circuit ers 6 and 7 .(of course if one of theinfha's' 5..

tripped only, the other of them is triizgetl through the operation ofthe motor) I 1 en closing one of them which muStbedxitb matic and finally closing the other or For the sake of explanation a 'desc will first be iven of the mechanismlas ferred to and thereafter a description will be iven of the various circuits!" he circuit breakers 6 and 7;a'r'e slioivn Fig. 1, as arranged side by side u on a shitable panel is: The circuit breakers chosen, for illustration are offthe general 'eleetric type and need not be fully describeins't-lley are wellunderstood, The-circiiitjbifleakr 7, since it 15 of the automatic type" isprovi'tled' with azse'ries coil 15, the iirrgnQQ thefiope-nZiF ing handle 18, the trip lever-1t for releathig the trip leverl9and thereby ,releasm arm 16 without relying npon t-h automatic the. coil inane lever 20f are not present, nor is the arm lfi proyided However, all these 5 j. t-ha 105. .t-i -f the series coil 15 upon an ermatuie'wni h otherwlse than has been stated the circuit breakers are alike and of the variety men- 7 tioned, but the invention is not limited to anyspecial form of circuit breaker as the elements referred to are to be found in a variety of them. 22, is a shaft suitably journaled and driven by the motor 10,- shown as arranged upon the back of thepanel 14, Fig. 2. The motor l0, drives the shaft 22 through the intervention-of suitable gearing. As shown in the drawings a 'worm 23 on the motor shaft projecting -through the panel is shown to engage 'a worm-wheel 24 on'the shaft 22. There are shafts 25 and26, "which have rotary motion imparted to them from the shaft 22. As shown this is accomplished by means of gears 27 and 28, and 29 {and 30. 'The'rotation of the shafts 25 and 201-26 operates to trip 'orrelease and open the circuit breakers. Asshown this is accomplished by means of a pair of links 31 and 32, pivoted together. The links 31 are shown, Figs. 6- and 7 as arranged loose upon .gg'ct-he shaft 22an'd the links 32 are provided with straps encircling; eccentrics on the 'shafts25 and 26. so that in each case as the eccentric turns the point of articulation of the pair of links is projected toward the panel and withdrawn from the panel. In

the caseof the circuit breaker-7, the point of articulation'of thelinks 31 .and 32 is arranged to collide with the lever 20, Fig. 6, which as has been said operates the trip leqs'ivver 19. In the case. of the circuit breaker 6. -Fig. 7 the triplever 19, is turn-ed downward and a'link-33,'ha.ving one end-pivoted at 34. and'having its other'end free 'and disposed in-frontof the trip lever" 19 is-arraneed in si'iehi position thatthe point of articulation of theilinks 31 and 82 collides 'withsubstam' may the center-part. of the face of the link a $3,?" thus; shifting "the link- 33 backward -whichmotionof the linkinturn shifts the triplever 19. and. releases the circuit breaker arm. The rotation of the shafts=25 and 26 also operate to close. the circuit breakers. 'lhis is accomplished as shown in the draw-- ing's by providingthe wheels or years 27 am] 29 with lugs or studs 35 and 36 arranged in 'such' position that during! a portioniofiarevclution of the wheels they collide' with lugs 37 and 38. projecting laterally from-the arms 71 of the circuit breakbiers. The axis of the wheels-and the pivot of the arm '71 are not concentric. hence the lugs 37 and 3,8 slide past and clear ofthe studs 35 and 36, upon the "c mpletion of that portion of a revolution." Inasmuch as a circuit breaker having its armprovided'with an ex; tension 21, which carries "a carbon block' should' not be closed witlr'too' much force whereas a circuit breaker'from which these provision's are'absent mn be closed with as as much force and rapidity as desirable,' 'we have shown means whereby the circuit breaker 7 ma be closed comparatively gently and slowly and the circuit breaker 6 closed rapidly and with considerable force. These means comprise the provision of gear wheels 27 and 28 of proper relative diameter having teeth all around each of their circumferences and they comprise the provision of wheels 29 and 30, of proper relative diameter and of which the wheel 30 has teeth only around a. portion of its circumference so that the wheel 30 may turn for a part of a revolution withoutturning the wheel 29 at all and during the rest. of

its revolution its teeth will engage the teeth of the wheel 29, and turn that wheel very rapidly. in comparison with the' Speed of turning of the wheel'27f From this it follows that the circuit breaker 7 will-be closed slowly and gently in accordwith the. ro-

tation of the shaft. 22, whereas the circuit breaker 6 will bezclo'sed rapidly and only during the intermittent portions of the revohit-ions of the shaft 22. By properly timing the described pause inthe movement of the wheel '29, it may be made to occur when the stud 35 is still in engagement with the lug 37 after having closed the circuit breaker,

thus the circuit breaker may be positively held in closed position, until the \vheel"29 starts again when this arrangement is used the switch 8 and its connections .to the circuit 58 are unnecessary. During-each pause one of the concavities a, on the rim of the wheel 29 rests on. the blank part of the pe- 10o riphery of the wheel 30, and thus the wheel 29 is held against accidental.;movement.

The auxiliary switches 8 and 9. comprise a circuit closer. shown to consist of aninv sulating sleeve 48, Fig, 4, carrying contacts 0 -tends'to drop by gravity and .isliftedwhen the coil is energized. The coil carries the motor switch 11, so thatwhen the electromagnet is energized-the switch 11 is closed and when the magnet is deenergized', the". switch. would open except that it is detained.

by a bolt 39. The bolt 39 projects fmmraj' cylinder arranged in a barrel 40, along-with aspring 41, which tends to causethe bolt 'to engage a notch 42'. in the spindle of; the switch 11 so as to lock the switchin closed position. There is wbar-flrcipr0catingly arranged in beariij g'sandffirov'ided in- 4f? and i i-Will result in shifting the rod .13

ii; to so "position the link the spring 41 drives .the'catchgfilt) the. provision sulatio'n and means shown to consist of a nut and thread for adjusting its length. 43 and H are links pivoted together at 5 and the link 43 is pivoted to the frame work or panel 14 and the link 44 is pivoted to the hill 13. 46, is aspri'ng connected with the bar 13, at. one end and with the panel or frame Work at the other end. There is a rod 47, which extends through a slot in the panel and is centrally pivoted at. 47 and has one of its ends pivoted to the point 45 of articulation of the links 43 and 44, and at other end is provided with. a strap which engages an eccentric 50, on the shaft 26, so that as the-shaft 26 rotates the rod 47 oscildates andin its oscillation acting upon the links -13 and 44, reciprocates the rod 13. "This rod 47, is connected at the point 45 by of a fork 47 on its end and it centrally pivoted by means of a slot-andpin connection 47, Fig; 3. The slot honnections are availed of so as thrni of the eccentric 50. described are so arranged and their movements are so timed that when. theunagnet 12 is energiked and the switch 11 "closed, the motor 10 rotates the shaft through the insiruinentalit-ies described and the rotation of this shaft act-inc upon the rod 41 thrhugh the intervention of the cam iiihcauees the rod 5 and"{,i4 that into engagement with the notch 42, thus the switch i'n'u' hich inciu d -thesleeve of the switch 1 5 .i t neutron across tlu ii re inter used locked in closed positionand will remain rlosed until the motor has driven its connected parts through one of the described two portions of the cycle in which both circuit breakers are tripped, thereupon th'e'cam 50 will have reached such position that its action upon the rod 47 and'links 43 in suiih position that the catch 39 releases upon open. The next. tiin magnet 12 is ene-rgziied th tions will be repe locked intlosed e that the electroe described operaated and the switch will be position in the manner de 5 ibed and soheld until tle completion of rhenextportion of the eye e- 5 51 and are the ids hf a vvoikiugr circuit across which is a load. The battery 5. is arranged by neansof conductors fiii and 52- for con s working circuit. Coir battery is a circuit ed the motor 10 and the The circuit breakers 6 and between the mnduetors 5i eaten-m to Fig.

nrcte'd around the motor switch 11.:

a. I :Zand 54 respectively and the co l in orthe circuit breaker is interposed in. the conductor :72

also'asingle conductor 59 which to take up the The parts last;

1, which will there of operations. I nhichTesultsin the closing of both circuit iiu-eak'ers and there being left free to again --he".of encdu circuit breaker 7 extends from the central station to the sub station. it the central station end this conductor 5- may be connected by means of a switch (10 either to a conductor 61 that leads to the line 52, or to a conductor 62 that leads to the line 51 and containsthe signaling apparatus which has been described, At the other end this conductor 59 is provided with a branch 63 containing a resistance 64 and uliich is connected to the loop '58, The conductor 5.) is also provided at this 'end with a branch (35 that contains a resistance 66, includes the coil of the n'lagnet l2 and is connected to the lead 51. 1

The inode of operation of the described apparatus may be explained as follows: Asshining that the circuit breakers 6 and 7, are closed and that the switch ,60 is in the position shown on Fig. 5, there exists a condition of affairs in which the battery and the generator, are both connected to the line 5l.-5f2. The auxiliary switches 8 and 9, under such circumstances are, of course, open. If; for any reason, such as an overload, the should automatically'open which, of course; is its intended. ..t'unctio n; the auxiliary switch 9 will heclosed. Un-

such circumstai'ices a circuit will be ihiished in the sigrnaliu I of coinluctor 57. conductor through auxiliarjv tell 9 to conductor 59 through re, sist A through switch 60. through the Sign apparatus and through the con- (lnctoi to the line 51. The effect of this current is to operate the signaling mechanism and direct the attention of the attendants at the central station to the fact that a distant circuit breakerhas opened. \Vhen the circuit last described is'established a portion of the current passes by conductor 65 through resistance (36, and electrou'nagnet 12 to line 51. but. this portion of the current has traversed both of the resistances 64 and 66. and is therefore not sufficientto cumgize the magnet. 12 enough to cause it to lift its armature and close the motor switch.

In fact the coil of the magnet 12 is so designed that current passing the resistance 64' and in series is insutlicient to energize it enough to cause it to lift its core: however. 'rurrcnl passing one of these resistances, suilicieni for this purpose. It .the' cirouit breaker instead of the circuit. breaker 7; has oper for an cause and it has already it it might be an automatic ciruser. the signaling cii'cuitwvould have been establisl'led from 5'? by way of 58, through the auxiliarv switch 8 and thence by wav of 63 through the resistance 64 to the line 59 and the signaling mechanism would o ate in the manner described. In F maticeirruit breaker and it isshown as'just like. the circuit-breaker 7 in Fig. 1. It dif-- fcrs from the circuit breaker 6, in that it g yst-em by way circuit. breaker 6 is an autoopens in response to an overload, whereas the circuit breaker 6 does not do so. Since the circuit breaker 6 Fig. 9,comprises parts corresponding exactly with the parts of the circuit breakers 7 and 6, the same reference.

letters have been applied. When the attendant at the central station receives the signal indicating theopening of a distant circuitv breaker, he pushes switch 60, so as to complete the circuit from 61 by way of 59 through 65, resistance 66, electro-magnet 12 and to line 51. .The-etfect of this is to en- -ergi'ze the magnet 12 sufficiently to close the motor switch? There may also be a circuit byway of 63 through a portion of the loop 58 through 57 to {$2, but this is unimportant.

, circuit breakersw The object in tripping both the circuit breakers is to be sure that they are both open so that an automatic ir cuit breaker may be thereafter first closed and left in position to automatically open .before the other circuit breaker is closed.

The purpose of this is that in the event of a permanent short circuit. as distinguished from a temporary overload the auton'iatic circuit breaker may be free to immediately open as soon as the second circuit breaker is closed, thus avoiding possible danger from excessive currents. As soon as both ol the circuit breakers have been tripped or opened in the manner described the switch ill is released through the operation of its catch 39 under the influence of the movement of the parts drivenby the motor, thereupon the motor stops. The attendant. having "thus tripped both circuit breakers would probably wait for a short interval of time until the overload might have ceased and he then again closes the switch 60. The result of this is that the circuit. for energizing the magnet 12 is again established and them-agnet '12 closes the switch 11, thus again starting the motor and locking switch ll in closed position until the remainder of the cycle is completed and the circuit breakers are closed. Firstthe automatic circuit breaker is closed and released'so as to be free to open. again, then the other circuit breaker is closed and'the motor switch permitted to open. If the difiiculty was a tem porary overload both circuit breakers will circuit breaker 6 is closed the circuitbreaker .7 will under. the influence of itscoii remain closed, but if the difficulty has not been temporary butlwas due. to a shortcircuit or a prolonged overload, as soon aethe mm thus the circuit breaking-mechanism at a. distance from the: attendant em be up ereted y h m in t same way thatfi't'ticulibreakers, a driven shaft and motor. for

ing the autonatic circuit breaker, a,n electromagnetic switch for closing the motor cir cuit. means controlled by said motor, driven mechanism for detaining said switch in closed position and subsequently releasing it, signaling mechanism at the central station having circuit connections controlled by the auxiliary switches. and a. single wireprovided with .a switchat the central station,- which wire constitutes a part of the signaL' ing circuit and also means for conveying current throughthe magnet of the motor switch; substantially as described.

In combination a pair of circuit break crs, motor,dri\cn mechanism for first trip ping both circuit ln'eakers and thereafter closing themin su .'cessiou and leaving them frcc to again trip. a motor switch electmniagiu-ti-calt closed and means controlled by tho motor driven ll'lttttllflt slltzlf lockin said switch in clost l posit ion during a Pre- 1 determined cycle of 'o wrationsof the tin .r

driven mechanism.

sci-1 bed.

substantially as def lueakers having arms, :a driving shaft, lugs or studs for. engaging the arms and closing v said circuit breakers, and gearing interposed.

. The combination of av panof' circuit,

between said shaft and the respective'studs or lugs and whereof that gearing 'which up;

pertains to one oftbc. circuit breakers is of-fl the intermittent type and that. gcaring'whioh appert-ains t0 the other circuit brc'a k ers'is'" or the continuous type and of greater'fspeed 1 10 reduction than tlre first, whereby onelof the other rapidly with the rotation of the-"Shaft..

4. The combination of-a pair of circuit breakers, a driving shaft, 0. pair ofpountershafts, gear wheels interposed between the .circuitbreakcrs is closed gently and the e driving shaft and counter-shafts, and provided with means forclosingthccircuit;

breakers; and cam driven mechanism for tripping said circuit breakers, substa'ntiall as described. 5. The combination of a pair of 'c rctu ing said shaft, a pair of counter-shafts,.geh

i ng between the driven shaftand "thy-.125.

counter-shafts provided with means for; clos mg the circuit breakers, mechanism responiping the circuitbreakers, an'electrd-nmgsaid switch, and devices interposed between the counter-shaft and the locking mechanism for releasing the latter upon the completion of a predetermined cycle of operations, sub stantially as described.

6. The combination of a pair of circuit breakers, a driven shaft and motor for driving said shaft, a pair of counter-shafts, gearing between the driven shaft -and the counter-shafts provided with means for closing the circuit breakers, mechanism responsive to the motion of said shafts for tripping the circuit breakers, an electro-mag- 'netic motor switch, a spring operated catch for locking said switch, a bar and its complemental pair of toggle levers for operating the catch, and an oscillating rod driven from one of said shafts and connected with the toggle levers, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a central station, a distant station, a line extending fro station to the other and including astorage battery at the distant station, a pair of circuit breakers at the distant station and of which at least one is automatic and which are provided with auxiliary circuit closers, motor driven mechanism for tripping the circuit breakers and closing them in succession and freeing them, a motor switch electro-magnetically closed, locking mechanism controlled by the motor and adapted to detain the motor switch in closed position dur- OIIB ing the cycle of operations of the motor driven mechanism and to thereupon release the same, a single conductor extending from one station to the other and having at the central station a switch and two branches, of which one is provided with signaling mechanism, a loop circuit from one lead through the auxiliary circuit closers and back to that lead of the line, a branch from the conductor that extends from one station to the other to one side of said loop, and a branch through the electro-magnetic motor switch to the other lead of the line, and resistances in said branches, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a circuit breaker having a pivotal arm provided with a lug, a wheel having its axis out of line with the pivot of the arm, a stud on the wheel in range of the arm whereby rotation of the wheel operates to cause the stud to engage and close the breaker arm, and means for driving the wheel with an intermittent motion in which a pause occurs when the wheel has closed the breaker, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names.

CHARLES S. VAN NUIS. JOHN W. ACHARD. Witnesses:

-BRU0E Fom), Gno. M. Howam). 

